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Permanent Revolution: Istvan Kantor

Permanent Revolution: Istvan Kantor is a book with release date of April 1st, 2014. The book is being published by The Kantor Collective (Linda Feesey, Mireille Bourgeois, Istvan Kantor), and is funded by the Canada Council for the Arts.

The book project is based on Istvan Kantor’s film and video works of the past three decades (since 1979) and includes a list of accomplished writer and curators (see table of contents). The aim of this book is to bring attention to the lasting impact and influence of radical media art in Canada and abroad, by presenting Istvan Kantor’s artwork as an important platform through which to discuss politics in art.

Kantor’s work as a media artist dates back to the late 70s in Montreal where he began producing videos. Kantor was a new immigrant, only recently arriving from Budapest via Paris, and interested in the new developments of current artistic expression where video was the new form to be explored. His media art can be described as technology based media art, including video, interactive robotic machinery, kinetic sculpture, transmission machine, extended body, and hyper-noise.

Istvan Kantor is a prolific artist, travelling to international venues for performances and screenings of his works. He has consistently presented events and exhibits in Berlin, Poland and Hungry. Kantor’s work has received numerous awards and distinctions including; First Prize 1993, 2nd Prize 1997, Wro Media Art Biennale, Poland; Opening Gala, Ars Electronica, Linz Austria 2000; First Prize in Video, Transmediale, Berlin 2001, and the Governor General’s Award for Visual and Media Arts 2004. Kantor’s 2009 film “The Never Endgin Operetta” won the European Media Arts Award and an honourable mention at Wro Media Art Biennale. A version subtitled in Polish is currently touring Poland. The artist’s works can be found in the prestigious collections: Centre Georges Pompidou (France), Montevideo (Amsterdam), Budapest, Japan, Thailand, Germany, USA, and throughout Canada.

Art Metropole is a non-profit artist-run centre incorporated in 1974. We'd like to thank the Canada Council for the Arts, the Ontario Arts Council, the City of Toronto through the Toronto Arts Council, as well as our donors for their support.

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